FOR the second year running, Wiltshire Police has been graded as ‘good’ in respect of legitimacy. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) yesterday released its legitimacy report as part of its annual assessment of the Force.

HMIC evaluated the force against three criteria, which measures the extent to which the workforce and the people it serves are treated with respect as well as how well it ensures the workforce behaves ethically and lawfully.

The way that Wiltshire Police treats its workforce with fairness and respect was graded as ‘outstanding’. The report notes the introduction of a dedicated mental health nurse as well as the availability of services such as occupational health and counselling around a variety of issues.

It also noted that the force has clear and well-understood values and behaviours that mirror the nine elements of the Code of Ethics and that there is frequent interaction between the workforce and senior officers, through active and open engagement and communication.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon Angus Macpherson said: “In the latest report on legitimacy, I was delighted to see the Force is regarded as outstanding for the fairness and respect it shows to its officers and staff.

“Chief Constable Mike Veale and his senior leadership team deserve enormous credit for consistently achieving such good results from these external inspections.

“Looking back at HMIC inspection results since 2014, we see a fantastic sequence of ‘good’ gradings, crowned today by the judgement that the way the workforce is treated is ‘outstanding’.

“HMIC noted a clear improvement plan in relation to stop and search after concerns were raised last year.

“As all of us would hope - and expect - Wiltshire Police is considered good at ensuring its workforce behaves ethically and lawfully.

“Turning to the report on the leadership of Wiltshire Police, HMIC does not offer a grade, but it is clear to me that its inspectors were impressed by the focus on the quality of leadership and on encouraging more diverse leadership teams by making some roles that were once for police officers accessible to police staff.

"The report identified that the force has clearly defined leadership expectations and that chief officers have made fundamental changes to the leadership style of the force, starting at the top of the organisation.

“I am also pleased that HMIC has acknowledged the efforts to recruit more black and minority ethnic officers and staff to help ensure the Force better represents the communities it serves, and that a ‘developing leaders’ programme is nurturing talented staff.

“In my view, these reports demonstrate that Wiltshire Police is a good place to work."

Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “I am delighted that the continued dedication, commitment and hard work of our police officers and police staff to provide a high quality service to the communities of Swindon and Wiltshire has been recognised for the second year running.

“Despite these obvious challenges the force is very often described as “punching above its weight” and to be graded as ‘good’ by HMIC is a fantastic achievement."